Tentreto's Alone Against the Flames IC

[zingbobco000]

For reference this is taken from Alone Against the Flames written by Mike Mason, Paul Fricker, and Gavin Inglis, thank you!

Do You Hear the Call of Cthulhu?
“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.”
—H. P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

Welcome to Call of Cthulhu, a Horror/Investigative roleplaying game of mystery wherein you, an ordinary person, shall encounter and confront the terrifying alien forces of the Cthulhu mythos. Now, to begin is quite simple, and this first introduction shall operate similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story (this is done in order to help with an easy transition between the investigation-heavy Call of Cthulhu, and most other RPGs). Nevertheless, it is time to begin... welcome, to Alone Against the Flames.

----
Plymouth, New Hampshire, 2:44 PM, September 1st, 1921.

The sun is high in the sky, a merciless ball of heat. You feel scorched by the time you reach the bus halt in front of Osborn’s Drug Store. It’s a relief to put down your heavy cases and take off your hat for a moment. You fan your face. It has been a long summer here, in your hometown, and yet a curiously empty one.
You look across the street at the grubby butcher’s shop, the grocers with its faded awning, and the shabby tobacconist. Mistrustful faces glare at you as they pass, eyeing your clothes and luggage. It was your parents’ choice to live here, not yours. You were happy down south as a child, among Providence’s white-walled houses and leafy churchyards. Perhaps this new job in Arkham will supply the change you need.
Yet everybody you know in the world lives here. You know nobody in Arkham, not one soul. You ask yourself one last
time if you are doing the right thing.
The answer is here. None of your supposed friends have come to see you off. You are alone. Whatever challenges lie in Arkham, it will be a new life, and a brave one.
A small gray motor coach approaches and rattles to a stop. You put your hat back on and pick up your cases.

Two young men with sullen expressions alight from the coach. One looks you up and down before heading away. The driver also steps down, glancing at you before crossing the road to visit the tobacconist. When he returns, he is rolling a cigarette between his yellowed fingers. He gives it a final twist and examines you as he reaches for his matchbox. He is a thin man in his fifties, dressed in a stained shirt with the bus company emblem. Yet his eyes are sharp in their dark sockets.
“Where to?”

You show him your ticket for Ossipee. From there you will connect to Rochester and Portsmouth, before the coastal line to Newburyport and, finally, Arkham. You should be able to afford a rail ticket for at least some of the way; otherwise this will be the first of many long bus trips.
“Mmm-hm.” The driver scratches the match and lights his cigarette. The end flares as he takes a draw. Then he exhales and gestures to the back of the coach. “Luggage rack’s up there.”

----
In Call of Cthulhu (somewhat like most other RPGs) there are eight characteristics Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Appearance, Size, Power, Education, and Intelligence

• Strength: This is a measure of the physical prowess of your investigator
• Dexterity: This is a measure of the agility and speed of your investigator
• Constitution: This is a measure of the physical toughness and stamina of your investigator
• Appearance: This is a measure of the physical appeal of your investigator
• Size: This is a combined measure of your investigator's height and weight, also used in determining their force behind their attacks and health
• Power: This is a measure of your investigator's mental stability, force of will, or spirit
• Intelligence: This is a measure of the logic and cunning of your investigator
• Education: This is a measure of your investigator's tutelage, be it from formal education or the "school of hard knocks"

For the very early image you have of your character, please rank these characteristics in whatever order you choose. No need for anything else than this right now. Also, yes, I understand that this is not really your standard introduction to an In-Character Thread, but let's roll with it!

[Tentreto]

Lets go with

1: Dexterity
2: Intelligience
3: Power
4: Education
5: Appearnace
6: Strength
7 Constitution
8: Size

[zingbobco000]

The driver smokes and watches as you drag your cases to the back of the motor coach. The rack is set inconveniently high on the vehicle. You get a grip on the heavier case.

You struggle for a few seconds before the driver comes up beside you and lends a hand, still puffing on his cigarette. “Heavy bags for a small ‘un,” he remarks. You judge it best to respond with a simple mutter of thanks.

The driver flicks his cigarette into the gutter and steps into the motorcoach. Its engine coughs into life. You board, grateful that you will be the only passenger for the initial part of your trip at least. With mixed emotions, you watch from the window as the tired avenues of your old home slip behind you, receding into the distance. For a few minutes, you can still see the church spire over the brow of a low hill. Then the road dips and it, too, is gone.
Arkham is your new home. You will travel there, and make a new start.
----

Your starting Sanity is determined by your Power (this sanity score will most likely fluctuate wildly). In addition, you have a number of Magic Points also based on said power. This will deplete and over time eventually return back to its original score. However, in all likelihood, magic points shall rarely be used by an investigator early on in their career, but it is important to note that they do exist.
----

The coach putters through the countryside. At first, the interior is stifling and your stomach lurches with every bend in the road. However, the driver opens his window, and by switching seats you find a spot where the breeze hits your face. You soon relax into the journey, observing the quaint little hamlets that the coach serves. A heavy-set woman boards at one settlement and gives you a polite nod. She gets off at the next one.
----

You have a certain amount of hit points based on both your Constitution and Size. Your current may fluctuate, but it is unlikely to ever exceed its maximum.
You also have a Luck score, which is used to help determine things out of your control. Please give me 3d6 to assist in generating your beginning luck.

[Tentreto]

Will luck be with the most glass of cannons? (3d6)[13]

[zingbobco000]

Heh. The concept of "Glass Cannon" is a bit weird in Call of Cthulhu...
----

The road rises a little, passing cornfields and orchards. The leaves are turning and the trees are alive with glorious reds and golds. You have just begun to doze when the driver takes a tight bend at speed.
----

Please give me a Dexterity roll by rolling a d100 (Call of Cthulhu [unlike D&D, PF, etc...], as you know, is part of the d100 system, so that'll be the dice you most often roll).

N.B. Whenever I say "roll," unless I specify otherwise, I mean a d100.

[Tentreto]

(less cannon, more glass. Far more glass.)

Dexterty roll (1d100)[86]

[zingbobco000]

You rolled above your dexterity, which means that you have failed your roll. Interestingly, in Call of Cthulhu, your stats are what actually determine the difficulty of your attempt as opposed to a set DC like in D&D.
----

A desperate yell shakes you out of your reverie of the beautiful view. You feel yourself slide from the seat as the driver spins the wheel and the motor-coach plunges off the road. Too late, you reach for the seat in front. You fall into the aisle and your ribs crash against the edge of the seat opposite. Breath rushes out of you. The coach stops with a thump.
Your driver leaps from his seat into the road. As you sprawl, dizzy, in the aisle, you hear a string of incendiary curses.
The driver climbs back into the cab and sees you on the floor. He looks concerned and assists you back into your seat. You see what has happened now. A Fordson tractor has stopped in the road and he had to swerve to avoid this steel obstacle.
“Sorry,” he says. “All them fields and he has to pick the road to park. You all right?”
You don’t think anything’s broken. But you’ll have a colorful bruise for the next few days. The throbbing pain itself should hopefully end with a good night's rest. The driver then backs the coach up a little and threads it around the tractor, glaring at the farmer.
----

You have sadly lost 1 hit point in this accident. Your hit points will fluctuate, recovering and depleting over time (although rarely [if ever] going above your maximum), but note that if you sustain a massive amount of hit-point loss, or if you fall to 0 hit points, you will fall unconscious or even die.
----

You resume your journey. The driver takes the curves with more caution than before. He glances over his shoulder at you a couple of times.
“Sorry about before,” he says. “That fella was dumber than a hog. I’m Silas. What’s your name?”



The accident was at least as much Silas’s fault as the farmer’s. But it doesn’t seem shrewd to antagonize the man while he is driving you through the middle of nowhere.
----

Make up a name for your character and I'll mark it down. You may add your age; for the purposes of this adventure your character should probably be aged between 23 and 36.

[Tentreto]

"Hazel, Hazel Glass" she replies as she rubs her side, still feeling the bruise. Her new life had already gotten of to a perfect start, hadn't it? Leaving home at just 23, she knew she would have hardships, but not this early. It was a pity it was only one way. "Don't suppose there are too many more farmers on the way to Arkham? Too many and I'll run out of ribs to bruise." she says with a half-smile on her face.

[zingbobco000]

Silas gives a mix between a grunt and a chuckle, you can't really tell, but otherwise no response. The coach then turns onto a narrower road, which weaves uphill through woodland. Silas becomes chatty.
“Going to Arkham, eh, Hazel? Can’t say I ever heard of the place. Went to Boston once. Didn’t like it. Too much hustle and bustle. You got family there? A special someone waiting?”
The afternoon is wearing on. You see no harm in confiding in Silas about your new life.
“A job, eh? What’s your line?”
----

Now it's time for your character to choose an occupation. In Call of Cthulhu an occupation provides you with several occupation skills. It's comparable to a class, but the main distinction is that it's not representative of all your characters abilities, and it does not really affect advancement.
Some common occupations for investigators include:

• Antiquarian
• Doctor of Medicine
• Journalist
• Private Investigator
• Professor
• Something Else... (we can discuss)?

[Tentreto]

(I was wondering about being a thief or criminal, although thats not really an occupation. Cartographer is something that sticks out to me, but might be a bit too specific. Musician possibly as well? If nothing else, thievery can be her side thing)

[zingbobco000]

You think back to the assistant cartographer's position you were offered at Arkham Rare Books and Maps on the strength of a recommendation by a distant friend of the family. Thinking about the ancient maps that must pass through that shop returns some of the excitement you felt upon receiving the letter of appointment. You feel a tingle in your palms; you cannot wait to get started.
“Old maps, eh?” Silas takes the conversation no further. You get the feeling he is not much of map connoisseur.
----

Does that work? If it doesn't feel free to note what, if anything, you'd like to change.

[Tentreto]

Hazel rolls her eyes at him while she sits in the back. Maps weren't that bad. She was very glad to get the letter, in a place she could study and trade them along with other rare books. One day she hoped to get a position actually making the maps, possibly even of the country, but for now, she'd take what she could get.

[zingbobco000]

Your occupational skills are: Art/Craft (Cartography), Psychology, Navigate, and Spot Hidden. You also have the following choices:
Which non-English language has she picked up constructing maps of foreign places (any non-English language)?
Which conversational skill does she use most often to get people to discuss locales and distances or when she's selling the maps themselves?

• Charm - physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply warmth of personality.
• Fast Talk - specifically limited to verbal trickery, deception, and misdirection, such as bamboozling a bouncer to let you inside a club, getting someone to sign a form they haven't read, making a policeman look the other way, and so on (normally related to not telling the truth).
• Intimidate - browbeating or making verbal threats to get your way.
• Persuade - convince a person of a particular idea, concept, or belief through reasoned argument, debate, and discussion (although this does not necessarily have to employ the truth).

Does she more often make historical maps of already established locations (i.e. cities and whatnot) or that of the natural world (macro-scale depictions with mountains, rivers, etc...)?

[Tentreto]

She has picked up Spanish from her cartography. They made some fairly important maps of the Americas, some of which are still useful.

She would use Persuade. She might try charm or fast talk, but not about maps and locales, as she know those well enough to be confident with reason as the first attempt.

She prefers to make maps of nature and on a larger scale than just of cities. She does usually attempt to strike some medium, such as adding all the new farms and ruins, but usually sticks more on the natural side.

[zingbobco000]

You may now choose one skills from the following list that you would perceive to be related to Hazel's career as an artist. I'll also provide a short sentence description or so for each. I know you have the rulebook, but there are some minor changes in 7th edition, so I figured I'd just show them all to you.

Spoiler: Skills (so many)

Show

• Accounting - understanding of accountancy procedures; reveals the financial functioning of a business or a person.
• Anthropology - identify and understand an individual's or culture's way of life through observation
• Appraise - estimate the value of a particular item, including the quality, material used, and workmanship.
• Archeology - allows dating and identifying artifacts from past cultures as well as detecting fakes
• Arts/Crafts (you have this one, but you may pick it up again for a different art/craft) - allows the creation, making, or repair of an item which could be artistic (painting, singing, etc...) or craft-related (woodworking, cookery, etc...). Each one requires its own choice.
• Charm - physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply warmth of personality.
• Climb - climb trees, walls, and other vertical surfaces with or without ropes or climbing gear.
• Disguise - used whenever you wish to appear to be someone other than whom you are.
• Dodge - allows one to instinctively evade blows, thrown missiles, and so forth.
• Drive Auto - drive a car or light truck, make ordinary maneuvers, and cope with ordinary vehicle problems.
• Electrical Repair - repair or reconfigure electrical equipment, such as auto ignitions, electric motors, fuse boxes, and burglar alarms.
• Fast Talk - specifically limited to verbal trickery, deception, and misdirection, such as bamboozling a bouncer to let you inside a club, getting someone to sign a form they haven't read, making a policeman look the other way, and so on.
• Fighting (Brawl) - one's skill in melee combat. There are also different specializations such as Sword, Axe, Spear, or Whip, which each require their own choice (if not picking Brawl).
• Firearms - covers all manner of firearms, as well as bows and crossbows. There are different specializations including Handguns, Rifles/Shotguns, Bows, and Crossbows. Each one is it's own skill.
• First Aid - emergency medical care, not for diseases (see Medicine).
• History - recall a historical detail or event, the significance of a country, city, region, or person, as pertinent.
• Intimidate - browbeating or making verbal threats to get your way.
• Other Language (you have this one, but you may pick another one) - Knowledge (ability to understand, speak, read, and write) of a language that's not your own. Each language is its own choice.
• Own Language - Knowledge of your own language (presumably English)
• Law - represents the chance of knowing pertinent law, precedent, legal maneuvers, or court procedure.
• Library Use - Find a piece of information, such as a certain book, newspaper, reference in a library, or a collection of documents (assuming there's information to be found).
• Listen - interpret and understand sound, including overheard conversations, mutters behind a closed door, and whispered words in a cafe.
• Locksmith - open car doors, hotwire autos, jimmy library windows, figure out Chinese puzzle boxes, and penetrate ordinary alarm systems.
• Mechanical Repair - repair a broken machine or create a new one.
• Medicine - diagnose and treat accidents, injuries, diseases, poisonings, etc...
• Natural World (you have this one) - represents the traditional (unscientific) knowledge and personal observation of farmers, fishermen, inspired amateurs, and hobbyists.
• Navigate (you have this one) - take the correct path to a destination, whether in a strange city or the wilderness.
• Occult - recognize occult paraphernalia, words, and concepts, as well as folk traditions; can also identify grimoires of magic and occult codes.
• Operate Heavy Machinery - required to drive and operate a train, steam engine, bulldozer, or other large-scale land machines.
• Persuade (you have this one) - convince a person of a particular idea, concept, or belief through reasoned argument, debate, and discussion (although this does not necessarily have to employ the truth).
• Pilot - allows the safe operation of a boat, aircraft, or dirigible. Each one is its own skill.
• Psychoanalysis - refers to the range of emotional therapies.
• Psychology (you have this one) - perception, common to all humans, to form an idea of another person's motives and character, and detect if a person is lying.
• Ride - applies to saddle horses, donkeys, and mules, granting knowledge of basic care of the riding animal, riding gear, and how to handle the steed at a gallop or on difficult terrain.
• Science - practical and theoretical ability with a science specialty gained from some degree of formalized education and training, although a well-read amateur scientist may also be a possibility. These specializations include: Astronomy, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Cryptography, Geology, Pharmacy, Physics, Zoology, etc... Each one is its own skill.
• Sleight of Hand - allows the visual covering-up, secreting, or masking of an object or objects, perhaps with debris, cloth, or other illusion-promoting materials.
• Spot Hidden (you have this one) - find a secret door or compartment, notice a hidden intruder, see an inconspicuous clue, recognize a repainted automobile, become aware of ambushers, etc. - an important skill in the armory of an investigator.
• Stealth - when attempting to avoid detection, moving quietly, and hiding without alerting those who might hear or see.
• Survival - expertise required to survive in extreme conditions, such as in desert or arctic conditions, as well as on the sea or in wilderness terrain. Each environment is its own skill.
• Swim - the ability to float and to move through water or other liquid in times of crisis or danger.
• Throw - hit a target with an object.
• Track - follow a person, vehicle, or animal over earth, and through plants.

Oh boy, that was long. I listed all of them for later reference, as well as to let you know that as long as it makes sense, any of these can be involved in your occupation. So, with all that out of the way, choose one!

[Tentreto]

Hazel will have learned Library Use. She needs to peruse large amounts of documents and look up records to make sure maps are accurate, as well as to be able to draw her own ones up.

[zingbobco000]

You realize Silas hasn’t made a stop since the incident with the tractor. The motor coach winds its way uphill. However, your thoughts are interrupted as the road crests a ridge and you are treated to a magnificent view of the vista below.
----

Note that even if you don't pick a skill as an Occupational Skill or a Personal Interest, you can still attempt any skill roll, having what's called a Base ability in it. There will more than likely be a slight, but nevertheless present, chance of you succeeding on anything you attempt.
----

A creek snakes through the valley, breaking the rich autumn palette of the tree line. In the distance the White Mountains rise into hazy cloud. There is no settlement, not even a cabin, as far as the eye can see. Birds drift through the treetops, and you can just make out what might be two white-tailed deer lingering by the water.
Perhaps you are making a mistake by moving to the city. Could you survive on your own in this lush wilderness?
----

Speaking of Personal Interest Skills from before, please choose four skills that represent Hazel's Personal interests (so things unrelated to his occcupation, in fact they cannot be the same as her occupational skills).

Also, I have a tendency to write a lot as it is, so as long as it's interesting and all that I'm fine with it. I just hope you're ok with it.

[Tentreto]

I'll go for:

1: Sleight of Hand
2: Appraise
3: Firearms (handguns)
4: Survival (wilderness/forest, whichever is more relevent. Forest if possible as theres lots of it in New Hampshire.)

In her own time, Hazel has found herself adept at performing card tricks and could have been a decent stage magician, if she thought there'd be anything there for her. It certainly helped that she had to have a steady hand for her work. She also spent some time studying various antiques and artefacts, partly out of curiosity, which she pushed a lot further when she received the job. As she did travel into the wilds, and especially the forests a lot, Hazel did learn to handle herself on her own, especially if she was miles from help.

[zingbobco000]

Forest most likely makes the most sense.
----

The motorcoach rattles on through the hills and Silas continues his silence. The sky darkens behind you, pinks tinting the clouds as the sun descends. Finally, a welcome sight comes into view: a settlement on the crest of a hill. This doesn’t look like the pictures you’ve seen of Ossipee. But perhaps you can persuade Silas to stop while you stretch your legs.
----

So now we need to discuss the order of your occupational skills. You currently have chosen: Art/Craft (Cartography), Library Use, Natural World, Navigate, Other Language (Spanish), Persuade, Psychology, and Spot Hidden. Please rate these from highest to lowest.

[Tentreto]

1: Art/Craft Cartography
2: Library Use
3: Navigate
4: Spot Hidden
5: Natural World
6: Psychology
7: Persuade
8: Other Language (Spanish)

[zingbobco000]

Minutes later, a harsh stuttering from the engine interrupts your reverie. Silas frowns and rattles the gear stick. The motorcoach falters in its ascent. Silas utters a curse you don’t recognize and grinds his teeth, struggling at the wheel. You seem to inch up the hill until you reach the first buildings, low dwellings constructed from a rough red stone. Silas wrestles the coach into a small bay off the road. He scrambles from his seat and makes for the engine compartment.
----

Please give me either a Drive Auto (you consider yourself an amateur in this field) roll or a Hard Psychology (you consider yourself a professional in this field) roll. A Hard roll means that you must roll equal to or under half of your skill level.

Also, yes, it is intentional I’m not specifying the exact numbers. I would rather you focus on just the general aspects of the game for now as opposed to a bunch of numbers.

[Tentreto]

Hazel knows next to nothing about Cars. She knows a lot more about people.

Hard Psychology (1d100)[4]

[zingbobco000]

That's a Success!
----

You sense a falseness to Silas’s actions. He is acting. Either he is not as aggravated about the breakdown as his behavior suggests, or perhaps the breakdown itself is an act.
If this is a ruse to make you spend your time and money in a local shop, he will be sadly disappointed in your purchasing power.
----

In Call of Cthulhu, one is able to improve their skills after a scenario (an adventure) should they succeed on a skill during said scenario. Because you've succeeded, you may have this opportunity in the future!
----

Silas opens the engine compartment open and sticks his head inside. The hot metal pops and sizzles. He pokes at various components, then withdraws and wipes his brow, smearing it with dark grease.
“I ain’t sure what’s wrong. Might be the oil pressure. Might be something knocked off kilter when we took that spill. Can’t do much until the engine cools neither. And with the light failing… I reckon we’ll be here through the night.” He wipes his hands on a rag.
The shadows from your surroundings are already long, and the air is chilly. You feel stiff from the journey and a night in the rickety coach sounds unappealing. Silas sees your dismay.
“This here’s Emberhead. Miles from anyplace. I only come through twice a week. But the folks here are good people. May Ledbetter keeps a spare room. She’ll look after you. Up that alley, turn right, first house on the left.”
He scratches his cheek, looks again into the engine compartment, and spits on the ground. “Meet me back here at eight in the morning and we’ll see how’s we stand.”
----

Now we're entering the more freeform part of the adventure. Nevertheless, given that this is still an introductory scenario. I'll be providing little prompts at the bottom of example things your character could attempt so that you can formulate a post in-line with general Call of Cthulhu ideas. In this instance, I have three possibilities. However, if you feel that you'd rather do something else, let me know (of course, one must understand that going of the "path" means that there will be very little held back).
1. Head out and look for this May Ledbetter's house
2. Ask Silas where he's going to stay the night
3. Challenge Silas about the breakdown

So, what are you thinking?

[Tentreto]

Hazel looks over Silas. There was little point antagonsing him now, whatever he wanted. She still did have to spend the rest of the Journey with him as possibly his only passanger. And she did want to give her bruise some rest. It did diminish him a lot in her mind though, faking a problem and being a careless driver.

Had she ever heard of this 'Emberhead' before on her maps?

With a little struggle, Hazel pulls a bag off the coach, so she at least has something to change into tomorrow. A night in a room wouldn't be too bad. She might even be able to take down some notes if she had the chance. It still wasn't the start she was looking for, but she'd make the most of what God gave her.

"Hope it's nothing too major," she replies, "Otherwise we'll both be stuck here until we can repair it. Where are you staying then if I'm in the spare room?"

[zingbobco000]

Hazel has never heard of this town before. Presumably, it was too small to pop up on any of her maps, and you're not in a very heavily-populated region in the first place.

Meanwhile, Silas gives the engine a sour glance "Hopefully engine jus' needs to cool down or something..." Afterwards he starts to answer your query.
“I’ve got acquaintances here in the village. Reckon one of ‘em owes me a favor. Enough for bed and breakfast, in any case.” He stares at his grubby hands. “Probably won’t stretch to a hot bath.”
You don’t seem to have a lot of options. You fetch your bag from the back of the motorcoach. The last thing you need is for all your worldly possessions to disappear into some stranger’s hovel overnight. At least a lodging room would be more secure, right?

You drag your cases between the sullen buildings. You feel surprisingly weary, considering you have spent all day sitting down. Silas’ directions lead you to a modest dwelling with a slate roof. A nameplate reads LEDBETTER, and underneath, a sign in neat copperplate reads, LODGING ROOM. The lane around you is gloomy, but a lamp flickers in the window.
A breeze chills your face. You’re not about to begin your new life by sleeping in the street. You rap on the weatherbeaten door.

After a moment, you hear footsteps inside the house. A bolt is drawn back and the wooden door swings open. A figure with loose curls and a rough-looking housedress peers at you. Her gaze takes in your traveling suit and your cases. Her voice has a slight Irish lilt.
“Hello. Should I take it as you’re looking for a room for the night?”
You enquire as to her rates, suppressing a grimace. As far as you’ve seen, the village does not offer you many alternatives.
“Oh, you’ll find them very reasonable,” she says. “You look tired. I’m May. Come inside and we’ll talk over a cup of tea.”



The Ledbetter house feels cramped, with a low ceiling and simple fittings. But it is well kept and a cheerful fire crackles in the grate. The aroma of the tea is soothing and the cup warms your fingers.
“Have you come to Emberhead for the festival?” asks May.
----

Would you like to explain what happened with Silas and the coach or are you planning on asking about this festival?

[Tentreto]

"Silas' motorcoach broke down so we need to wait till morning to see how it is." Hazel answers, cordially. "How long I stay depends on how bad the damage is. What is this festivel by the way? are you expecting many to come?"

Things began to make a little more sense now. If Silas wanted to be at the festivel, or at least get a young sucker to spend her money, he should just have asked straight up. If this was a festivel with a market, she might just be able to make a profit.

[zingbobco000]

May shakes her head and you glimpse a moment of deep-seated anger in her green eyes.
“He always drives too fast. Thinks the road is made for him and him alone. He hit a mare some years back, that was a terrible thing. You should have seen the state of the coach. You’d be surprised at the damage done.”
She sips her tea and gazes past you, into the corner of the room.
“With living here, though, we can’t afford to antagonize the man. He’s about the only link we have to the world at large. And he’s not a bad soul at heart. I suppose that going the same route for fifteen years makes a man careless. You have to forgive him.”
May goes silent for a long moment. Then her eyes flick back to you.

“Well now, I suppose the Festival is about the only reason folks come to Emberhead. We get a couple of new passer-by each year so I thought you had maybe come to study it or take photographs. Well, it’s not tomorrow night but the night after. I suppose it looks very strange to a passerby.”
May tops up your tea. The spout chinks against your cup.
“We’ve got the Beacon, you see. One night every year there’s a torch-lit procession and we light the Beacon on the cliffs. You’ve never seen the like of it. They say it keeps the spirit of the village alive for another year. It’s a celebration. A celebration...”
She tails off for a moment, and blinks.
“But you didn’t come here to listen to me blather, and you must be hungry. I can rustle you up a bit of stew. How would that be?”
You ask again about her rates, and May names a price so low you accept it without hesitation. The room is small but comfortable, and the stew dark and hearty. After dinner, you have a couple of hours before your usual bedtime.
----

Would you like to talk to May some more? Take a stroll around the village? Or turn in for an early night? I mean you do have quite some distance to make up, after all.

[Tentreto]

Hazel shakes her head. "Haven't heard of the festival at all I'm afraid, but I am going to work as a cartographer, so I might be able to put in a word for people interested in that kind of thing. Might even be able to get your beacon put down as a landmark." she says, putting down her tea to take another bite of the stew. "How long have you been doing it for, the festival?" She carefully eats the stew, being very careful not to spill any on either the floor or her clothes.

[zingbobco000]

She shrugs, "If you want to. Guess that'd be nice, a big mapmaker like you from the city helping us out." As you ask about its origin she shrugs, "Not sure. I guess as long as the town's been active."

May then goes on to talk about life in Emberhead. “In her letters my sister always asks if I’m not bored, living in such a small place. She lives in New York. Then she writes about how frightened she is to walk home at night! I ask you.”
You mention your hopes for a new life in Arkham. May doesn’t seem to hear you.
“It’s a small place here, yes, but that means we have real community. Everybody’s face is known. Everybody works together. Nobody is excluded. Except those who choose to exclude themselves, of course. I couldn’t live anywhere else now.”
----

Please give me a Charm (you consider yourself a neophyte in this field) roll.

[Tentreto]

Charm (1d100)[8]